The present disclosure relates to methods for automating the transfer of data within a data file or between different data files.
Home and business productivity applications typically include word processing applications, spreadsheet applications, presentation facilitation applications, database applications, publishing applications, web browsing applications, email applications, and personal information management applications. These applications typically allow an end user of a computing device to compose, manipulate, edit, organize, and format data stored in files (e.g., a file readable by a word processing application). Some home and business productivity applications allow for copy-and-paste and/or cut-and-paste operations to be performed when an end user enters key combinations (e.g., Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V) or selects the desired functionality using a pulldown menu or toolbar button. Copy-and-paste functionality allows for the copying of selected data (e.g., text) from a source to a clipboard, and then from the clipboard to a destination. The clipboard may comprise a software utility or application running on an operating system that facilitates data storage and/or data transfer between documents and applications running on the operating system (e.g., acting as a temporary buffer for copying-and-pasting data between a spreadsheet application and a word processing application). The source and destination may be located in the same file or in different files. Copy-and-paste functionality may also allow formatting styles to be copied and pasted along with selected text.